I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek
out
wisdom
Or, "I and my heart turned about" F8; took a circuit, a tour
throughout the whole compass of things; looked into every corner,
and went through the circle of knowledge, in order to search and
find out what true wisdom is; which is no other than Christ, and
a spiritual knowledge of him; a variety of words is used to
express his eager desire after wisdom, and the diligent search he
made, from which he was not discouraged by the difficulties he
met with; see ( Ecclesiastes
1:13 ) ; and the reason [of things];
either in nature or providence: or the estimation F9 of
them; the excellency of them, how much they are to be accounted
of, esteemed, and valued; as Christ, the Wisdom of God, and all
things relating to him, should; and to know the wickedness
of folly, even of foolishness [and]
madness;
the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the folly and madness that are
in it; sin is the effect of folly, and the excess of it, and a
spiritual madness; it is true of all sin in general, but
especially of the sin of uncleanness, which Solomon seems to have
in view by what follows; see ( Ecclesiastes
1:17 ) ( 2:12 ) ;
and may chiefly intend the wickedness of his own folly, and the
foolishness of his own madness.